Deconstructor of Fun

Recently hitting the milestone of 30 years working in game design, Spry Fox Chief Creative Officer Daniel Cook has long been a leading voice in the game industry. To celebrate his long and distinguished career-spanning games like Realm of the Mad God, Triple Town, Alphabear, and Cozy Grove. MIA host Ethan Levy returns to the mic to talk to Dan about his many lessons and accomplishments. Most importantly, Dan talks about how as a team, Spry Fox found their shared, authentic voice, and how this has led to efficiency in production and success in the marketplace as they consciously chose to specialize in cozy games. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

The prodigal son, Ethan Levy, makes his return to the podcast as the team discusses Newzoo’s latest PC and Console data as well as Liftoff’s 2024 Casual Gaming Apps Report. Hold tight for your weekly dose of news! Hosts: Jen Donahoe, Laura Taranto, Phillip Black & Ethan Levy --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

Andrew Rose, the Chief Product Officer of Voldex, shares his journey and experiences in the Roblox game development space. Voldex, a company that acquires and scales Roblox games, has seen success by applying traditional free-to-play game development strategies in the unique ecosystem of Roblox. --- Join our newsletter: https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe Game industry professional? Join our Slack channel: https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/slack --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

Get ready for your weekly dose of unfiltered game industry news. In this episode, the crew discusses Supercell's and Dream's latest titles. We also talk about the history and future of celebrity collaborations within games. Your hosts: Jen Donahoe, Eric Kress, Laura Taranto & Phillip Black our partners: AppsFlyer, Xsolla, Heroic Labs & Data.ai --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

Product Deep Dives looks at Playrix's Township to deconstruct how this game went from a farming sim to a multi-billion dollar success. Join Laura Taranto and Jen Donahoe as they reap what this game has to offer! Make sure to watch with video, as we have data and insights you won't want to miss. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

In today’s mature mobile gaming market, the importance of building a brand, storytelling, and creating distinct brand identities is crucial for success. This podcast delves into the journey of revitalizing Futureplay’s Merge Gardens through an emphasis on strategic IP creation, branding improvements, and effective storytelling. Guest: Martin Mohr, CCO @ Bond Creative Agency Links: The case of Merge Garden Martin Mohr Bond Creative Agency --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

Who are BIG gaming funds good for? Are the AAA game studios going to extinct? And why is Fallout such a damn good show? This and many more questions were mulled by the TWIG crew. Oh, and Eric Kress is back. That means that the profanities are flying once again. Your hosts: Eric Kress, Michail Katkoff, Jen Donahoe, and Phillip Black. Our partners: Xsolla, AppsFlyer, Heroic Labs, and Sensor Tower. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

Dive into the world of Istanbul's venture capital scene with Laton Venture's Görkem Türk. Together we explore essential topics like investment strategies prioritizing founding teams' quality, the evolving role of culture in startups, and future trends in gaming such as AI and socialization-focused experiences. Don't miss out on industry insights. Sign up for our newsletter! www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

What is the impact of privacy updates on ad revenue and user acquisition strategies? In this episode, Google’s Ross Brockman and Kwalee’s John Wright discuss the need for adaptation, innovation, and the importance of leveraging first-party data for customized user experiences. The conversation reflects a balance between acknowledging challenges and maintaining optimism for growth and evolution in the ad monetization landscape. Thanks to our sponsors: Xsolla, Heroic Labs, AppsFlyer & Data.ai --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

Buckle up kids because this episode has barely any profanity. Kress is MIA while the team talks about Brawl Stars' Baby Shark collaboration and the state of the gaming market. Phil geeks out on inflation, Mishka talks about interest rates, Jen discusses toy lines and Laura is put on the spot to cover the latest layoffs news. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

Eric Kress sits down with Matt Wyble, COO of Second Dinner, to talk about Marvel Snap and what's next for Second Dinner. What does a studio do with $100M in the bank? The two spend some time talking about the state of Blizzard and the state of the industry. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

Kress sits down with Matt Wyble to talk about Marvel Snap and what's next for Second Dinner. What does the studio do with $100M in the bank? The two also spend some time talking about the state of Blizzard and the state of the industry. Join our newsletter: https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

The rowdy crew is back at it talking about Lilith's decision to skip soft launch, Embracer's selling of Gear Box, and the New York Times move into gaming. We also talk about Discord's ad business. Because when in doubt do advertising. Hosts: Michail Katkoff, Jen Donahoe, Eric Kress and Phillip Black --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

This podcast serves as a valuable resource for non-technical executives seeking to enhance their understanding of backend services and make informed decisions to support the success of their games. The discussion focuses on the critical role of informed decision-making in selecting between proprietary builds and third-party solutions, navigating transitions between backend services, and maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of backend operations in game development. Thanks for the expert guests: Rafael Cordoba (Bandai Namco Mobile) Chris Molozian (Heroic Labs) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

The team shares their GDC reflections, unveils how bankers work in gaming, and ravels in the Web3 bonanza. We also dive knee-deep into two titles: Activision's Call of Duty Warzone which launched last week to challenge Call of Duty Mobile. Moon Active's Travel Town, seems to be scaling without any breaks. Hosts: Laura Taranto, Erick Kress, Phillip Black, and Michail Katkoff continue the conversation: www.deconstructoroffun.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

Sola Saulenko, CMO of Pixonic, a MY.GAMES studio joins Mishka Katkoff to discuss the intricacies of building a successful game franchise. Together they explore topics such as the balance between organic growth and strategic planning, the evolution of games into franchises, the challenges of transitioning from a hit game to a franchise, and the importance of passion and creativity in brand building. The podcast offers valuable insights into the process of developing and sustaining a game franchise in a competitive market landscape. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

Mihai Gheza is the CEO of Machinations, an economy simulation software. Recorded at Slush, we cover economy simulations, AI balance, and whether data scientists should become economy designers Machinations: https://machinations.io/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

Signup to perhaps the best newsletter in the industry: www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe The whole crew got together for a fun on-site recording. The trash talk reaches Market Street levels as we discuss how bad San Francisco is, what in the hell is going on with Netflix Games, Turkish subsidies for game companies, and Supercell's latest PR salvo. Team: Eric Kress, Jen Donahoe, Mishka Katkoff, Phillip Black and Laura Taranto --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

Get on board with one of the best newsletters in the business: https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/subscribe Joakim is a seasoned entrepreneur (Next Games) turned venture capitalist (F4 Fund). In this conversation Joakim provides valuable insights into the intricacies of venture capital investments, emphasizing the importance of innovation, adaptability, and strategic planning for startups aiming to thrive in the competitive gaming industry. F4 Fund https://f4.fund Joakim’s book, Long Term Game: How To Build A Video Games Company https://www.amazon.com/Long-Term-Game-Build-Company/dp/952942874X --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support

The cast recaps the 3rd annual Think Games Istanbul Summit hosted by Google and Deconstructor of Fun. See the link below to register and watch the recorded sessions. The team tackles new news from Epic being allowed on iOS in the EU to Discord's new game SDK to the state of startups in Finland. Also, the cast appears on a data.ai state of mobile webinar. Check it out here https://go.data.ai/state-of-mobile-gaming-webinar-2024/ Apply to join the Slack Community and get the DoF weekly newsletter. https://www.deconstructoroffun.com/slack Event links Think Games Istanbul: https://adsonair.withgoogle.com/events/think-games-istanbul-2024 Jen's GDC roundtable https://schedule.gdconf.com/session/lgbtq-executive-and-entrepreneurship-and-allies-roundtable/903078 Hosts: Michail Katkoff @mkatkoff ⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/michailkatkoff/⁠⁠ Eric Kress @ekress ⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/erickress/⁠⁠ Laura Taranto @laurataranto ⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/laurataranto/⁠⁠ Phillip Black @econosopher ⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-black-economist/⁠⁠ Jen Donahoe @Jen_Donahoe ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferdonahoe/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/deconstructoroffun/support